John Calvin wrote of Psalm 1 “He who collected the Psalms into one volume, whether Ezra or some other person, appears to have placed this Psalm at the beginning, by way of preface, in which he inculcates upon all the godly the duty of meditating upon the law of God.
The sum and substance of the whole is, that they are blessed who apply their hearts to the pursuit of heavenly wisdom; whereas the profane despisers of God, although for a time they may reckon themselves happy, shall at length have a most miserable end.”
Today’s SFS selection is a metrical setting of Psalm 1 written by Douglas Wilson in 2000 set to the music of Heinrich Schütz from 1628. This song is frequently sung in worship at Christ Covenant Church.
The Text (NKJV)
1 Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
3 He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.
4 The ungodly are not so,
But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6 For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the ungodly shall perish.
The Metrical Text
Blest is the man who does not walk
In ways of the ungodly man,
Who does not stand in paths of sin
And will not sit where mockers talk.
His full delight is in the law,
On holy laws he meditates.
All day and night he contemplates
And holds the truth in rev'rent awe.
Planted deep by the riverside,
This tree brings forth the season's fruit
His leaf is nourished from the root;
Prosperity is full and wide.
Not so the wicked, who will die.
They are like chaff which blows away
And cannot stand on judgement day,
When He will lift the saints on high.
God knows the way of all His host,
The wicked die a godless death.
Praise Him, praise Him, those who have breath,
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Where to Find this SFS
Listen to this song on Spotify below or over on Qobuz.
Download this SFS
Download .mp3 (.mp3 = great quality)
Download .wav (.wav = high resolution audio file)
Find the Sheet Music (From the Cantus Christi #2)
Additional resources
If you would like to learn the SATB (soprano, alto, tenor, bass) parts you can listen to each part below. Special thanks to my oldest daughter Eva and oldest son Charles who provided the Alto (Eva) and Tenor (Charles) parts.
SATB Parts
SOPRANO
ALTO
TENOR
BASS
Blest Is the Man Who Does Not Walk (Psalm 1)